x402 Protocol Lets AI Agents Pay for API Calls Autonomously Without Human Input

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The x402 HTTP payment protocol, built on the long-dormant HTTP 402 'Payment Required' status code from 1991, now enables AI agents to autonomously pay for API calls using stablecoins in a single round-trip exchange. When an agent receives a 402 response, it pays and retries the request automatically, eliminating the need for pre-registered API keys or human involvement in each transaction. Supporting this is WAIaaS, an open-source self-hosted Wallet-as-a-Service built specifically for AI agents, which separates spending authority across three roles: the agent, the administrator, and the fund owner. The system enforces a policy engine with 21 policy types and four security tiers — ranging from instant execution to mandatory human approval — keeping humans in control without making them a bottleneck for every payment. Developers can deploy this infrastructure today, addressing a key scaling challenge as multi-agent systems require real-time, programmatic financial decision-making.

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